The Academy of Medical Sciences FORUM Newsletter In this issue...

Page 2 Forum Annual Meeting and Lecture Page 2 NHP Examining Evidence Page 3 New Medical Science Briefing Page 3 New Reports Page 4 Academy to Advise on Future Drug Use Page 4 New Academy Fellows Message from the Chairman of the Forum

We have a busy agenda going forward. This Autumn, we shall publish the Forum’s first Report on ‘Safer Medicines’, which will evaluate the approaches to ensuring the safety of medicines. I know this is an important area for many Forum Members.

Then in September, we launch our series of Medical Science Briefings, which will run through the Autumn and Spring. These are described elsewhere in the newsletter.

It is very important that we listen to the needs and concerns of our Forum Members across the country as we plan our future seminars and lobbying campaigns. I hope to meet many of you at our various events throughout the year: but please contact either Forum Chairman Professor Barry Furr me or our Forum Programme Officer, Jenny Steere, I feel both delighted and very privileged to have been with your thoughts and ideas. invited to take over as Chairman of the Academy’s Forum. Sir John Skehel, my predecessor, did an For the Forum to be even more successful we must excellent job in setting up the Forum and establishing have input from the full membership both in terms of its place at the interface between academia and important issues that require review and symposium industry. I recognise that the years ahead will be a topics that will excite interest. I hope that we can challenge and look forward to your support in extending work together to achieve both an informative and the success of the Forum. influential programme.

Issue1 - Autumn 2005 Forum Annual meeting and lecture

Professor Markham delivering his lecture

The Annual Forum meeting and lecture in March were once again an excellent opportunity for Forum members to network and meet with Academy Fellows.

This year, speakers from the EU Research Directorate General, the UK Research Office and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) gave presentations on the European Framework Programme 7.

In the evening, Professor Alex Markham FMedSci, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, delivered the third Annual Forum Lecture entitled: ‘Cancer research in the UK: areas of optimism and concern’. Professor Markham expressed Professor Alex Markham (centre) is flanked by current Forum Chairman Professor Barry Furr (left) concern that, with cancer now the number one killer in the and former Chairman Sir John Skehel (right) developed world, the survival rate in the UK is significantly lower than in many other countries in Europe. for research programmes has been increased through the National Cancer Research Network. But there are encouraging signs of progress: the NHS Cancer Plan has set out clear targets, many of which have Some goals for the work of Cancer Research UK were already been delivered. Several major projects have received set out, including achieving a substantial increase in funding significant funding as a result of the establishment of a over coming years, and building on the success of its National Cancer Research Institute, and patient recruitment technology transfer arm, Cancer Research Technology.

Non-human primate Working Group examining evidence

In March, the Academy was one of four organisations to come replacement are rigorously applied to all experiments using together and set up an independent Working Group to animals, particularly non-human primates. We hope to examine the recent, current and future scientific basis for establish areas where alternatives, such as genetically biological and medical research involving non-human primates. modified mice or computer modelling, might be an appropriate option. Equally, the study will examine areas of Members of the Working Group, chaired by Sir David research where there is likely to be continuing need for Weatherall have already met several times. primate use. We have had an excellent response to the call for evidence, including from the Academy’s Forum members.’ Sir David said: ‘Changes are occurring in the capacity for the UK and other countries around the world to carry out research Professor Barry Furr, Chairman of the Industry Forum, said ‘I using non-human primates. These changes particularly affect urge members who have not already made a submission to the availability of animals, trained personnel and facilities. The this working group either to do so directly or through the Forum’ study will assess the nature and extent of these changes and what implications they might have for future research. In the Full details of the study can be obtained from the Academy’s UK, the 3Rs principles of refinement, reduction and dedicated website, www.nhpstudy.com New programme of Medical Science Briefings

Forum members will be able to learn more about and discuss we await the fruits of molecular science, under the title topical developments in medical science from Academy ‘Reconstructive Surgery beats Regenerative Medicine’. Fellows at a series of Briefings to be held through the Autumn and Spring. Then, on 21 November, Academy Fellows Professor Simon Wessely, Professor of Epidemiological and Liaison Psychiatry The informal Briefings will be held at the end of the working at King’s College London, and Professor Stafford Lightman, day, initially in London at either The Academy’s Offices in the Director of the Henry Wellcome Laboratory for Integrative British Academy or the nearby Royal Society, both on Carlton Neuroscience & Endocrinology at the University of Bristol, will House Terrace. They will be free of charge to employees of debate recent developments in our understanding of stress. Forum companies and their guests. Barry Furr, Chair of the Academy’s Forum says ‘Forum At the first meeting, scheduled for 26 September, Dr Robin members have told us how keen they are to use their Lovell Badge, FRS, FMedSci, Head of the Division of membership as a way of learning about recent developments Developmental Genetics at the MRC National Institute of in medical science. We hope this series of informal briefings Medical Research will discuss recent developments in stem will enable them to do just that.’ cell science. A programme and booking form for the series will be sent out On 24 October, Professor Gus McGrouther FMedSci, in September. Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Manchester, will explore how opportunities in the For further information please email [email protected] area of surgical reconstruction could be being missed while

stringency to those that pertain, for example, to research on New reports available to drugs’. The report reviews the conduct of trials and reviews Forum members issues of ethics, transparency and accountability. Meanwhile, the Academy’s Academic Careers Committee has The academy has recently published two reports. been conducting focus groups at ten universities in order to review the effectiveness of non-clinical fellowships in the ‘Microbial Challenge Studies of biomedical sciences. Human Volunteers – a guidance Their conclusions, published in the report ‘Freedom to document’ reviews the practice succeed’ are that to get the maximum benefit for their of deliberately infecting volunteers fellowship, research fellows need to take a more proactive with micro-organisms in order approach with both funding bodies and the particular to understand disease and institution where they are based. Funders should concentrate develop new vaccines. on improving the quality of existing schemes, rather than on increasing the number of places available. The report offers While emphasising the importance some models of best practice. of such studies, the Academy’s Working Group, chaired by Professor Richard Moxon, Copies of both reports are available on request from concludes, ‘it is imperative that the standards applied to The Academy. microbial challenge studies of humans should be of equivalent

Academy to advise on future use of drugs in neuroscience

The Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Sir David King ‘We are delighted that the Government has come to the has asked the Academy of Medical Sciences to undertake Academy as a source of reliable and independent scientific an independent review of the scientific issues arising from advice. We look forward to pointing up the research and the key issues highlighted by the report ‘Drugs Futures public policy issues and enabling government to move 2025’ which was published on 13th July. forward in a practical way.’

The report has been produced by Foresight, the ‘To address the various important areas raised by the Government’s science-based think tank which provides Foresight team we shall draw on the broad expertise of our independent evidence through ‘horizon scanning’ of what Fellowship, which ranges across all aspects of medical scientific advances may uncover in the next 20 years. science. We also plan to involve representatives of the Set up to investigate how to manage the use of pharmaceutical companies and the other scientific bodies psychoactive substances in the future to the best advantage who come together in our Forum.’ for the individual, community and society, Drugs Futures 2025 is based on a scientific review of possible opportunities Professor Barry Furr said ‘Jenny Steere, the Forum and risks that may influence future research, industry Programme Officer, and I would very much welcome the investment and public policy. views of Forum members on the above so that they can be taken into account in any submission that the Academy Welcoming the Government’s invitation to undertake the makes to Government. It would be very helpful to receive review, Academy President Professor Sir said such comments by 14 October.’

New Academy Fellows

40 leading medical scientists became world-renowned authority on global Fellows of the Academy at the 2005 inequality and economic development. Admission Ceremony on 24th June. Several new Fellows delivered short Amartya Sen, Lamont University Professor papers at the meeting. These included and Professor of Economics and Philosophy geneticist Professor Wendy Bickmore, at Harvard University, and a former Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, Professor Janet Darbyshire of the NRC was elected an Honorary Fellow. A Nobel Clinical Trails Unit and Professor Prize winner and former Honorary Christopher Edwards, Vice Chancellor of President of Oxfam, Professor Sen is a Newcastle University.

New Fellow Professor Raymond Hill of the Neuroscience Research Centre at Merck Sharp & Dohme signs the Fellows Book

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